Hitherto, various ideas have been proposed about embroidery data processing device and computer program product for creating tree structure vector data by coupling nodes mutually from a root node to an end node by vector data on the basis of drawing information composing an embroidery pattern, and creating embroidery data of consecutive sewing sequence on the basis of the tree structure vector data.
For example, a proposed embroidery data processing device for creating necessary embroidery data for sewing an embroidery pattern composed of a line drawing by a sewing machine comprises reading device for reading image data from an original drawing of the embroidery pattern, tree structure vector data creating device for creating tree structure vector data in a format having branch points mutually coupled by vector data on the basis of the image data read out by reading device, searching device for making depth priority search on the tree structure vector data created by tree structure vector data creating device, and searching the vector data in two directions of forward direction and backward direction starting from the corresponding point on the embroidery pattern, and sewing data creating device for creating underlying stitch sewing data on the basis of forward searched vector data by searching device, and creating embroidery stitch sewing data overlaid on the underlying stitch sewing data on the basis of backward searched vector data (see, for example, Japanese patent application laid-open No. H8 (1996)-38756 paragraphs [0010] to [0036], and FIGS. 1 to 10).
Such conventional embroidery data processing device, however, can create embroidery data without jumping within one tree structure vector data, but when adding other tree structure vector data to an existing tree structure vector data, consecutive sewing sequence cannot be created by coupling the sewing sequence on the basis of the one tree structure vector data and the sewing sequence on the basis of the other tree structure vector data, and useless jump stitch occurs between root nodes, and removing job of jump stitch is complicated. Or when one existing tree structure vector data is divided into plural pieces of the tree structure vector data, it is not possible to sew by threads of different colors by creating embroidery data in a plurality of independent sewing sequences.